I can’t stay away from the blending board…
nor can I stop testing my instincts about color,
and layering them ever so finer … and finer …. and even finer…
1st batt, 1st carding
just to see how the colors will work together.
Because perhaps I am just ridiculous!
rolags from 2nd batt, second carding, and wonderfully oceanic!
So I have decided to make a new category ~~ Tweed Chronicles ~~ wherein I can post my tweed yarn making refinements, as I explore both predictable as well as the unpredictable color combinations (maybe especially the unpredictable), my learned improvements of technique, and so on.
Techy stuff
- 20g of white undyed roving I acquired decades ago, the tweedy “nepps” from the slubby roving are excellent for tweed, 20g of mixed Shetland I over-dyed with color peacock, 10g of Corriedale aqua, and 10g of Corriedale dark denim.
- Layered very thinly … I mean really a lot of thin layers… using technique: Blending for tweed simplified.
- Lifted batt, layered again a second time.
- Drew off rolags.
- Total of only two “cardings”.
♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣
I have found another gem in the “Hands” series I’ve been watching countless times over the last month, while I learn the technique of long-draw tweed spinning on my little wheel, and learn the art of color in fiber. And because I have always been so deeply inspired from nostalgia, this one is my new favorite. Enjoy!
Jenjoyce Design 
Really lovely little film. Thank you. xoxo
That little film is my new mantra, sort of, in a way, back to the basics!
“Garden a little, cook a little, knit-walk a mile or two.” xx
Love your lovely tweedy rolags! How fun!
I am interested in seeing what these look like when spun up and woven, knitted or crocheted. I think it’s fascinating to go from the unspun fiber to the finished product. You are certainly making the end product your own all along in the whole process!
I have been doing much the same sort of thing with scouring and rinsing a lot of raw fleece all summer. I have been dyeing and drumcarding as fast as possible to get as many batts done as I can to get ready for Spinzilla 2017. So far I have 21 batts along with a whole lot of different 4 oz handpainted combed tops.
I am on the team Sue’s Stupendous Spinners. We have a conversation and picture thread on the Spinzilla forum on http://www.Ravelry.com. We still have room for one more spinner to join us. You’d be welcome to fill that spot. We’d enjoy having you on our team and seeing your glorious tweed yarns!
If you’d like to be on our Spinzilla team, contact ourqueensue through Ravelry. We have spinners from Massachusetts, Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, and even 4 spinners from Sweden!
Sheila, thank you so very much for your invitation to join your online spinning group, however, I must now put the spinning down as I have fallen behind in my heavy knitting & designing schedule. I hope you find just the right person to fill the spot!
Thought I’d point out that my recent Calidez Hats & Mitts design was inspired for micro-batch hand-spun, please let your group know there is a pattern set perfect for them: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/calidez-mitts–hats
and a vest for handspun here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/calidez-vest